U.S. Daily, CA
May 7 2008
Armenian leader condemns "genocide" before pope
By Philip Pullella
Photo: Pope Benedict XVI (L) greets Supreme Patriarch Catholicos
Karekin II of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church during a weekly
general audience at the Vatican May 7, 2008. REUTERS/Osservatore
Romano
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Armenia’s Orthodox leader on Wednesday used
the pulpit of the Vatican to condemn the 1915 killing of 1.5 million
ethnic Armenians by Ottoman Turks, saying the whole world should
recognize it as a genocide.
"We Armenians are a people who have survived genocide, and we know
well the value of love, brotherhood, friendship and a secure life,"
Karekin II said in a public address during Pope Benedict’s general
audience in St Peter’s Square.
"Today, many countries of the world recognize and condemn the genocide
committed against the Armenian people by Ottoman Turkey …" the head
of Armenia’s Apostolic Church added, speaking in English before tens
of thousands of people.
Karekin, who like the pope has the title "His Holiness," said he
wanted to "appeal to all nations and lands to universally condemn all
genocides that have occurred throughout history and those that
continue to the present day …"
Turkey strongly denies Armenian claims, saying that Muslim Turks also
died in inter-ethnic conflict as the Ottoman Empire crumbled during
World War One.
Western historians have backed Armenian claims that the killings
amounted to a genocide.
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